Sweeter Than Honey
by lapis-lazuli-94
Summary: Set after book four in the original VD trilogy: Things have been like paradise for Stefan since Elena's return to their new home of Fell's Church. But what happens when she wants to leave? Will Stefan let go of the only place that makes him feel human, or will a shocking revelation from Damon start a love triangle that causes him to question his own sexuality? [SLASH] [StefanxMatt]


Chapter One

"Stefan? Stefan, are you listening to me?"

Stefan turned to look from the lapis lazuli ring on his finger to the golden-haired beauty beside him.

Elena.

Silently, Stefan drew a deep breath and admired how her golden locks shone in the mid-afternoon light. He gave a slight smile. He had been with Elena more than a year now, but her beauty still took him off guard at times.

Like today.

Set against the backdrop of bright mid-day light, she radiated with an inhuman beauty.

"Stefan?"

Elena again.

"I'm listening," he said. His eyes were back on the lapis lazuli ring, and he toyed with it, knowing that Elena wore one of her own.

She had worn it over a year, ever since accidentally being changed. Ever since becoming like him.

It was something he still regretted, turning someone so innocent into a creature of darkness. But ever since defeating Klaus, his mind was slowly beginning to change.

He could still remember how brilliantly Elena had shone in the cemetery—how she had saved Fell's Church.

How she had saved him.

And if someone like that could save someone like him, maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"No, you're not," she said now. This time, exasperated.

"Listen, Stefan. This is serious. It's about Bonnie."

He looked at her now. He smiled in an attempt to let her know she had his full attention.

"She's going to end things with Matt. She's telling him tonight."

A chill, late-August wind blew by, and Stefan felt Elena draw closer to him on the park bench.

"Let's get back to the boarding house," he said, while standing. "It's cold."

Elena looked as if she wanted to protest, but instead joined Stefan as he started their trek home.

They continued in silence.

As they reached the park entrance, another chill wind greeted them, and the sounds of the city came to their ears.

As if a spell had been broken, Elena spoke again.

"Stefan." This time she stopped walking and turned to face him. "Bonnie's serious this time."

Stefan felt his face draw in a tight line. Bonnie and Matt had an on-again, off-again relationship, and things were only getting rockier.

Both had decided to take a year off before applying for university.

"Don't you think we deserve a break," Matt had asked Bonnie. "Can't we just take a year off and enjoy life?"

And so they had.

And for a while, they seemed happy.

But Bonnie's decision to go to the University of Georgia in Athens had thrown a wrench in their plans.

Matt didn't want to leave Fell's Church, but Bonnie, who wanted to put as much distance between her and her hometown as possible, jumped at the chance to move South.

Now, the pair looked to make their relationship work.

But only a month into the semester, it seemed as if Bonnie had called it quits.

Stefan shook his head. Maybe it was for the best. He couldn't blame Bonnie for wanting to get away—and he couldn't blame Matt for wanting to stay.

Some things just weren't meant to be.

He stared to walk again, but Elena tugged his arm. He was shocked to find her eyes wide, almost pleading.

She waited a moment before speaking. Then, with a sigh, she bowed her head.

"She's visiting Fell's Church tonight. Matt doesn't know she's going to tell him."

She paused before continuing.

"She called me crying earlier and asked me if I'd spend the night with her."

Stefan stared in silence. He could sense Elena wanted to say more.

When she didn't, he started as if to walk.

"Stefan," Elena said before he could. "I want you to go talk to Matt tonight. Make sure he's okay."

Silence again. They continued to walk.

Ten minutes passed, and Stefan could see the boarding house on the horizon. He was still running over Elena's request.

"I'm not good at comforting people," he said at last. He didn't like the thought of comforting a devastated, crying Matt or the thought of the two being alone.

He could still remember the dejected, defeated look in his eyes the year before after Elena's passing.

He didn't want to see that look again.

"It's not comfort I'm worried about," Elena said, and Stefan instantly knew what she meant.

She was worried Matt would try something funny.

Something dangerous.

He felt a surge of annoyance pass through him. Why did some people have to be so fickle, so _weak_? He had lived with almost unbearable pain for five centuries, and he didn't need anyone to look out for him.

He didn't particularly want to be pressured into doing anything, either, and Elena had been doing a lot of that lately.

She, too, wanted to leave Fell's Church, start over somewhere without the funny looks and quiet laughter.

It was true, Stefan reasoned, that the town had a reason to turn heads—less than a year after holding Elena's funeral, she had returned in the flesh, seemingly unharmed.

There was no other explanation except that she faked it, and while Elena had tried to give a reason, a justification of sorts, really, the town never got over what they deemed one of the worst practical jokes in the history of Fell's Church.

Despite all this, Stefan didn't want to go. Fell's Church was the place where he'd met Elena, where he and Damon had reconciled their differences over Katherine, and ultimately, where he had begun to feel a bit more human.

Now, as he climbed the steps up towards his room in the boarding house, he paused to turn to Elena and sighed.

"What time do I need to be there?" he asked.

Elena smiled.

"Bonnie's going over there about nine o'clock."

Stefan put his hand on the bedroom door and made as if to turn it, but stopped.

"Look, Elena. I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm still not sure why I have to go."

But before she had a chance to speak, Stefan had opened the door and started in surprise.

"Damon, what are you doing here?" he said before turning back to Elena.

Her face looked grim.

"Little brother," said Damon, walking forward. "I think it's time you know the truth."


End file.
